Having Appreciation in Unique Ways.

   Last week we went to a family reunion. It was a wonderful time spent with some of the most wonderful people I know.  Here are a few pictures of my family that made it up to Zion's National Park.

My older sister.

My two little brothers (the tall ones) and their families. Then there is my husband and my beautiful children as well as my older sisters (above) two teenagers.

My older sister again with her two older girls and her oldest daughters husband. Playing games.

My grandmother.

My father and my baby brother.

My mother.

Left to right My baby brother, me, my younger brother and his baby girl. So cute!

 

So why am I here talking about these wonderful individuals and titling this post "Having Appreciation"?

A few of us went on a beautiful walk/hike and when we came back my father asked me to go and make sure that no little fingers got into the cake. I walked over there and my family had surprised me with this beautiful birthday cake.

They started to sing "Happy Birthday" it was such a nice surprise. I am not ashamed that I was a little emotional.

It was truly beautiful and I was so grateful. The "unique" part of my appreciation is this. I made myself a promise. This promise was that I was going to go off of sugar (Cake, Cookies, Candy, Sodas, any snacks that are sugary) for a year. It was hard in the way that I didn't want my family to think that I didn't love the cake and appreciate what they had done for me. My younger brother asked if I was going to have a piece. I told him that I just couldn't he didn't quite understand why I couldn't for some of my OWN birthday cake. However, he respected my commitment and decision.

So I guess maybe I should have titled this post something along the lines of being true to yourself. Because that is what I want to really talk about.

You see, I have come to a point in my life where I am tired of inconveniencing myself to show gratitude for others efforts. All of these years I have been wanting to get off of sugar and every time I tried there was always a party, or someone has made something "special" for me or my family ect. So I would break my commitment because I didn't want to hurt them. What I didn't realize was that I was really hurting ME. In hurting me I also realized that I was hurting, my relationship with my Heavenly Father, my relationship with my spouse, kids and so many other people in my life. I believe that when we say that we have integrity we also need to include integrity to ourselves. When we keep our promises to ourselves we feel better, as well as gain confidence that we are able to keep promises to others. I found that I matter! As hard as that it to comprehend sometimes, it is true we do matter.

              I was given a beautiful gift from my Heavenly Father called a body. It came to me one day that if my body is a gift, and not a curse that I always thought it was growing up, then shouldn't I take care of it? I wanted to make a commitment that would show my Heavenly Father AND myself that I was grateful for this gift, and I want to take care of it. So as thankful as I was for the truly beautiful cake I was also determined to stick to the promise that I made to myself.

 I am not saying that I think everyone should go off of sugar. What I am saying is that I do believe that it is worth the time and effort to make small promises to ourselves and then to learn to keep them. Those small promises lead to bigger promises, which lead to progress in this journey we call life. It also leads us closer to our Father in Heaven. It amazes me how things start on the inside of us and work out.

We have to decide then commit through the hard times as well as the not so hard times. While I there I was talking to my niece about what I do for exercise. I run. I will  tell that long story in another post but I told her that in all we do in life. If we want to progress whether in our education, fitness, spirituality, or any other area, we need to get comfortable with uncomfortable. That is my theme. That is what I tell myself when I don't want to do something or go through a hard trial. If we stay in our comfort zone we will not progress and we were sent here on this earth to progress to become more like our Father. He wants us to succeed and He expects us to do hard things and to take care of the gifts that He has given us. Our bodies are one of them.

Much Love, Emily

 

 

 Here are a few more pictures. Enjoy.

My son hiking with some cousins.

Spice(My second daughter) her cousins (My older sisters younger children)

My Brother-in-Law (Older sisters husband)

Left to right. My baby brothers little girl and my "Bear" Best buds forever!

                                                       My baby "Beeps"

My oldest "Sugar"

My younger brother and his baby girl.

My baby brother and my sisters older girl. :)

My son (we all had to climb through these rocks to get to the place where we were headed. Good times.)

Smore time! (Bear)

My baby brother and his little girl.

My son. :)

Part of Zion's

This is the road that I ran while I was there. This is from the top of there I decided I was going to stop and turn around. I did a 5.5 mile run. It was beautiful!

My wonderful husband on the patio of our cabin and the beautiful mountains behind him.

Becoming Something More.

  This morning I went into the city. As I was walking I started to talk to this complete stranger. If you know me you know that I am not shy. It was short and sweet but it opened my eyes. As I was driving home I started to really look at the people around me. There were people dressed up in business attire, there were homeless, there were people dressed in everyday attire. There was a gentle man who was walking around with a guitar on his back and a little bongo drum. I wanted to know their stories. We all have one, we all have a past, we all do things that we believe in. We might not all agree on those things but every one of us makes a difference in this world. I felt like I was blessed even for just a second to see people and to love them as God loves us. I wanted to get out of the car and just start asking a ton of questions. I wanted to become their friend.
  There was a song playing in the car from "Time out for Women" CD. It talks about a women who wishes she could become more then she is right now. My favorite part goes, "In the mean time she's a mother, and a sister, and a friend. Days turn into weeks that turn to years that never end. And she wonders if there's ever going to be more meaning in her life."
   There are a lot of days that I feel like this. I do things that I feel a strong sense of duty to. I feel strong about home schooling my children. I love and would be nothing without my knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice. I have a strong sense of duty to uphold our Constitution and our freedoms and teach them to my children. There is a lot more of course but I won't go on. I guess what I am trying to get at is this. There are times, a lot of times where I do wonder if I could be doing more to make a REAL difference in this world? Is raising my children, living my religion to the best of my ability, being a good wife, etc.. Is it enough?  Some of the other part of the song goes something like this.
   She doesn't know shes being molded and refined..... She's becoming one who God can depend....
I do believe that we are always being molded and refined. I am defanently not the same person I was even 5 years ago. But who is it effecting? So many people out there in the world. So many people who have amazing stories. It just makes me wonder what stories I have that could make a difference? I feel the call! I want to pick up! But I can't seem to hear what that call could be. What message do I have that could change a life for the better? I hope to find it out soon.

 Hugs, Emily